One thing I did not make entirely clear when I first posted this list: the goal of these random-roll scenarios, with no one knowing whether they would be attacker or defender, is to make it absolutely
necessary to have as broad a variety of units as possible - yes, in pickup games one could load up on Alacorns and sit atop a hill, blowing apart anyone who comes within line of sight; but such a choice of OpFor would be
crippled if they rolled up Attacker in a Depot Raid or Extraction in my tables.
While many of these scenarios do seem weighted in favor of the lighter designs, several of them are probably losses if you go with nothing but lights and mediums; The Duel, for example (though one of the more exciting playtest games I engaged in was where a Phoenix Hawk dueled with a Warhammer and won!)
The point of using two 1D6 rolls instead of a 2D6 was to avoid the bell curve inherent in 2D6; I wanted all scenarios to be equally likely to show up in a regular tournament game to avoid people weighting their forces in favor of the most likely rolls.
And yes, the original version of this was in the Ground Combat section of the forum; but here seems to be a better place for it as it IS an article, a fan-made one in fact. I'll be posting a link in that thread to this one.
A lot of these scenarios are even more exciting when using my
single-table, easy double-blind rules so take a look at those, too!
12 SCENARIOS FOR USE IN BV2.0-BALANCED PICKUP GAMES OR TOURNAMENTS
This is a list of 12 scenarios, designed to be randomly rolled, for use in tournament settings (and casual play!) Several of them are adapted from the end of Total Warfare, but are expanded upon and balanced for forces using the same total BV regardless of the scenario.
Some of them are designed to favor fast units, even going so far as to exclude the slowest units; others favor the slower, powerful units. Some scenarios have a definite advantage for expensive, small units, whereas others will give an advantage to the player with cheap hordes. This variance is to encourage construction of flexible opfors with as broad a variety of unit types as possible.
Note, though, that the terms 'attacker' and 'defender' are used in a tactical sense, not a strategic one; if using these in a campaign then it's entirely likely that the strategic defenders might stage a strike against the attacker's supply depot (but would be considered the Attacker for purposes of that mission) or similar.
Each scenario consists of seven sections:
QUOTE: A humorous or educational quote that illustrates something about the scenario.
BRIEFING: A short explanation of what led to the scenario.
MAPS & DEPLOYMENT: An explanation of how mapsheets should be laid for the scenario, as well as where and how the attacker and defender may place their miniatures. Each scenario assumes two mapsheets for up to 2,500 BV, four mapsheets for up to 8,000 BV, and nine mapsheets for up to 12,000 BV. Whenever used, the term "map" refers to the spread of mapsheets as a whole, rather than one individual mapsheet.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: Any special rules that apply to both sides.
ATTACKER SPECIAL RULES: Any special rules that apply to just the attacker.
DEFENDER SPECIAL RULES: Any special rules that apply to only the defender.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: An explanation of what is required to win the scenario, which is (for most scenarios) based on BV destroyed by either side, with the side having destroyed the most BV being judged the victor. When using the Forced Withdrawal rules, a unit forced to withdraw that makes it off its side's table edge is worth half its total BV towards the total (unless otherwise noted).
To use these properly, follow this procedure:
1) Roll to determine who is the attacker and who the defender, by rolling a d6: on a 1-3 the dice-roller and 4-6 the other).
2) Roll 1d6 to determine whether or not you are on Table 1 (1-3) or Table 2 (4-6), then roll a second dice to determine the specific scenario:
1 MEETING ENGAGEMENT
2 SCORCHED EARTH
3 EXTRACTION
4 THE DUEL
5 DEPOT RAID
6 FINAL STAND
1 BREAKTHROUGH
2 RESOURCE RUSH
3 CONVOY ASSAULT
4 RAVENING HORDE
5 AMBUSH!
6 HEADHUNTING
3) Having rolled the scenario, each player rolls a d6: highest roll picks which map edge they deploy on.
4) The game plays as normal. Recipe serves between 2 and 1,562 Battletech tournament fanatics.
MEETING ENGAGEMENT
"Best damn job I ever had. Travel the universe, visit exotic locations, meet interesting people, and try to kill them."
-Sergeant Mitchell Belluci
BRIEFING: During the initial stages of an invasion, two sides will send out their faster-moving units to pin down the opposing side for long enough to attack with their slower units.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: Set up the mapsheets in a square arrangement, with each side deploying along the long map edges. Any maps will do other than city-oriented types. The game ends at 20 turns or if one side withdraws completely.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: Any units with a Walk/Cruise MP of 6 or higher is deployed within 3 hexes of their side's map edge, with the rest being held in reserve.Units with Walk/Cruise MP of 5 move in from their side's map edge at the start of the 5th turn. Units with Walk/Cruise MP of 4 move in from their side's map edge at the start of the 10th turn. Units with Walk/Cruise MP of 3 or lower may not be deployed unless they are transported by faster units.
ATTACKER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: Forced Withdrawal.
DEFENDER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: Forced Withdrawal.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: Units destroyed before the 10th turn passes (when the 4 MP units deploy) count for double BV, with units forced to withdraw before that turn counting for their full BV rather than half.
SCORCHED EARTH
"In recent decades, as armies attempt to capture and hold targets intact, scorched earth has become an extremely rare policy. It is only used when long-term victory is impossible or when the target is too valuable to fall into enemy hands."
-TRO 3025, Firestarter entry
BRIEFING: The defenders
cannot allow the attacker to take the buildings here intact - conversely, the attacker must not permit the defender to destroy the valuables contained therein.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: The mapsheets should be laid out in a square arrangement. Half the maps must be urban/city maps, with 2 buildings per 1,000 BV of the game. The game ends at 20 turns, when all the buildings are destroyed, or if one side withdraws completely.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: Each building is considered to have 40 CV, with half of them being Level 1 buildings and the other half being Level 2 or higher.
ATTACKER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The attacker must deploy within 3 hexes of the edge farthest away from the urban maps. Forced Withdrawal.
DEFENDER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The defender may deploy anywhere within the urban maps. Forced Withdrawal.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: In addition to the standard BV rewards, each building that the defender destroys adds 200 BV to his total. Each building intact at the end of the game adds 200 BV to the attacker's total.
EXTRACTION
"Because the needs of the one... outweigh the needs of the many."
- Admiral James T. Kirk
BRIEFING: The remains of a battlefield can leave valuable debris for the victor, but only if he knows that it's there. In this case, he left an ejected and wounded pilot behind, one that is important... and now, he has to retrieve the pilot before the other side does.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: The mapsheets are deployed end-to-end to give as long of a field as possible (if using more than four maps, place the other maps alongside the first four in a second layer.) Place a single token in the very center to represent the damaged full-head ejection pod of the pilot. The game lasts 20 turns or until one side achieves the victory condition.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: In order to pick up the pod, a 'Mech must have two operational hand actuators remain and cannot move for one turn in a hex adjacent to that pod. No 'Mech can run while carrying the pod. Because of the pod's weight and awkwardness, a light 'Mech has its Walk MP reduced by one while carrying the pod. If a 'Mech carrying the pod fails a piloting test, has any of its arm actuators destroyed, is destroyed itself, or if the player chooses to, it drops the pod in the hex directly in front of it.
ATTACKER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The attacker deploys his units within the unit's Walk/Cruise MP of one short edge. Forced withdrawal.
DEFENDER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The defender deploys his units within the unit's Walk/Cruise MP of the short edge opposite the attacker's. Forced withdrawal.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: The side that carries the ejection pod off its deployment zone map edge wins. If time runs out, the player whose deployment zone is nearest the ejection pod is declared the winner.
THE DUEL
"...The rest of the battle had stopped in an informal truce around the two Assault 'Mechs. All of them knew that those two pilots would decide the outcome of their petty struggle. This battle would make history, and the two MechWarriors fighting it were destined for immortality."
- Warrior, En Garde
BRIEFING: Battles are won most easily by breaking the will of an enemy to fight. There are few more effective ways to break that will than to destroy their champion in front of their eyes, and the leaders of both OpFors have chosen this path.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: The mapsheets should be arranged in a square arrangement, with an area in the center as free of terrain obstacles as possible. The game lasts for twenty turns or until one side is completely destroyed.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: Each player nominates a unit with the highest BV OR overall weight (their choice as to which) as the commander. The only unit that can fire on the commander is the enemy commander until one of them is destroyed or forced to withdraw. If random effects would ordinarily hit one or the other (artillery scatter, Swarm missiles) they automatically miss.
ATTACKER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The attacker deploys within 3 hexes of one map edge, with the commander unit deployed in the center-hex of their map edge. The unit chosen as the commander gets a 1-point bonus to their Gunnery and Piloting skills. Forced Withdrawal is in effect.
DEFENDER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The defender deploys within 3 hexes of the opposite map edge, with the commander unit deployed in the center-hex of their map edge. The unit chosen as the commander gets a 1-point bonus to their Gunnery and Piloting skills. Forced Withdrawal is in effect.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: The unit chosen as the commander is worth double BV if destroyed or forced to withdraw by the other player's commander. Otherwise ordinary victory conditions are in effect.
DEPOT RAID
"Amateurs study strategy, professionals - well, you know the rest. The keystone of warfare is logistics, and the key of logistics are supply depots. More planets have been won with a lance of Locusts striking behind the lines than a company of Atlases lumbering forward."
-General Andrew Redburn (attr.)
BRIEFING: The supply depot located here is invaluable to the defender's strategy; unfortunately for the defender, the attacker has located them and staged a strike.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: The mapsheets are placed in a square, with two counters (representing a supply pile) per 1,000 BV placed in the center of the mapsheets, plus one extra to make the total number of counters odd. The game ends at the 20th turn, or when all the counters are destroyed.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: Each counter represents a building with a CV of 20. Once all the CV is gone, the building is destroyed.
ATTACKER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The attacker may only deploy units that have a Walk/Cruise MP of 6 or higher, unless they are transported aboard a unit that qualifies. He deploys within 4 hexes of any map corner (note: can be multiple corners!)
DEFENDER SPECIAL RULES: The defender may only deploy an amount of units equal to 1/4th the total BV (rounded up to the nearest 1k) initially.The defender deploys those units within 3 hexes of any supply pile counter. At the start of the 5th turn, 1/4th more may move in from any map edge. At the start of the 10th turn, the remainder of the defender's force deploys from any table edge.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: If the attacker has destroyed more supply depots by the end of the 20th turn, then the attacker is the winner. If the attacker has not destroyed more total, than the defender is the winner.
FINAL STAND
"All men die. Not every man chooses where and why he dies. Today, we choose to die as heroes."
-Tai-sa Jessica Alberez, final words
BRIEFING: A token force has been left behind to delay the enemy for as long as possible; victory is not measured in survival, but in time purchased with blood.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: The mapsheets are deployed in a square.The game ends at the 20th turn.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: None.
ATTACKER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The attacker may only deploy units that have a Walk/Cruise MP of 6 or higher at the beginning of the game, unless they are transported aboard a unit that qualifies. The attacker deploys those units within 3 hexes of one long map-edge. At the start of the 5th turn, any units that have a 4 or greater Walk/Cruise MP may move on from the attacker's map edge. At the start of the 10th turn, the attacker may move any remaining units on from his map edge. The attacker uses the Forced Withdrawal rules.
DEFENDER SPECIAL RULES & DEPLOYMENT: The attacker splits his units into two equal (or as close as possible) halves according to BV, then rolls randomly to see which half he deploys and which half he leaves behind. He may use the Hidden Deployment rules for up to half of his deployed force. The defender deploys his units within 3 hexes of the maps' long center-line.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: If the defender has destroyed or forced to withdraw more than half of the attacker's BV total (note that units forced to withdraw still only count for half their BV) before being destroyed, he wins. Otherwise, the attacker wins.
SECOND HALF
BREAKTHROUGH
"Long ago, when the advent of tanks meant that truly mobile warfare was possible, the concept of schwerpunkt was first named. Schwerpunkt is the focal point of a battle, which if you could break through, you could encircle and destroy the shattered remnants of the enemy line. A full ten centuries later, the schwerpunkt remains a key concept of warfare."
-Republic of the Sphere command training manual
BRIEFING: The lines have clashed, and the both sides have a clear goal. The attacker: penetrate the enemy lines. The defender: prevent same.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: The mapsheets should be placed short end to short end to make as long a map as possible, up until four mapsheets. If using eight mapsheets, place the second four mapsheets in a line next to the first four. The game lasts 20 turns or until one side achieves victory.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: At the start of the combat, roll a d6. On a roll of one, the first five turns are fought using night-fighting rules. On a roll of 6, the last five turns are fought using night-fighting rules.
ATTACKER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The attacker deploys within 10 hexes of one map edge, and is only subject to Forced Withdrawal for the half of the map closest to his map edge.
DEFENDER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The defender's deployment zone
starts 25 hexes away from the attacker's table edge. The defender may use Hidden Deployment rules for up to one-fourth of his total force, and is subject to Forced Withdrawal.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: The victory is calculated using BV, with the following modifications: Any of the attacker's 'Mechs which are destroyed or forced to withdraw are worth double the normal BV to to the defender's total, while the attacker adds the BV value of any 'Mechs which leave the defender's map edge to his own total.
RESOURCE RUSH
"Lostech. Water. Food. Land. Ammunition. Treasure. Even knowledge. All of these and more have been the underlying cause beneath the roiling turmoil of war for centuries, and will continue to be for the centuries to come."
-Commodore Skuld the Scorpion
BRIEFING: Scattered across the battlefield are invaluable resources that must be taken, or if not taken then controlled so the enemy doesn't have easy access to them.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: Roll a d6: On a 1-3, the battle takes place in a cityscape with 1d6 buildings per map. On a 4-6, the battle takes place in a wilderness area. The mapsheets are laid out in a square formation. The battle lasts for 20 turns or until one side achieves victory.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: There are two counters for every 1,000 BV of the battle size chosen, representing the resources being fought over. Each player takes it in turns to place them, with the following caveats: No counter may be placed within five hexes of either deployment zone, or closer than five hexes to each other, and if the battle takes place in a cityscape, each counter must be placed within a building. The counters may be picked up, carried, and put down by 'Mechs, but only if the 'Mech has at least one functioning hand actuator.
ATTACKER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The attacker deploys within 5 hexes of one long map edge. Forced Withdrawal.
DEFENDER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The defender deploys within 5 hexes of the opposite long map edge as the defender. Forced Withdrawal.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: Standard BV rules apply, with the following additions:
+200 BV per counter 'controlled' at the end of the battle (the side with the highest-BV unit closest to the counter controls it.)
+500 BV per counter carried off one side's respective map edge. 'Mechs which carry a counter off may not return to the battlefield, but do not give 1/2 their BV for Forced Withdrawal unless they
were subject to Forced Withdrawal.
[DEV NOTE: In practice, this means that light 'Mechs tend to rush in, carry off what they can, and the big boys stay in to duke it out over the rest - with Forced Withdrawal pathways often trying to go over a counter so the damaged 'Mech can pick up a counter on the way out of the battlefield. It's fun!]
CONVOY ASSAULT
"Given the choice between a death sentence and J-27 duty, many choose the death sentence. At first this claim was dismissed as hyperbole, but studies have shown this to be true.... and may be no choice at all. The mortality rate for J-27 crews is triple that of any other military vehicle."
- TRO 3025, J-27 Transport entry (paraphased)
BRIEFING: A convoy of much-needed ammunition and armor is being taken to the front. The attacker's goal is to disable or destroy as many transports as possible, while the defender's goal is to get them off the table, or to throw back the attackers - whichever might be easier.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: The mapsheets are laid out lengthwise, short end to short end, to form as long a map as possible, up until four mapsheets long. If using more, place the second row of mapsheets alongside the first. The defender deploys his J-27s in a line one hex apart, starting at one short edge of the map, and may deploy his forces within three hexes of any J-27 once finished placing the J-27s. The attacker moves on the map at the start of the first turn, from any of the three map edges which are not the defender's starting edge. The game lasts for 20 turns or until the last J-27 is off the board, either destroyed or moved from the far map edge by the defender.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: For every 1,000 BV of the match, the defender controls one J-27 transport in addition to his regular forces. (tracked 5/8, 6 armor per side, 1 MG armament for those who lack the information).
ATTACKER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The attacker may only deploy units that have a Walk/Cruise MP of 6 or higher, unless they are transported aboard a unit that qualifies. Forced Withdrawal rules are in effect for the attacker.
DEFENDER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The defender may
not deploy any vehicles or Battlemechs that weigh greater than 75 tons. (The heaviest units would be at the front line, not escorting a ammo convoy, after all.) The defender's pilots will NOT retreat using Forced Withdrawal - no doubt afraid of ending up on a J-27 crew themselves!
VICTORY CONDITIONS: In addition to standard BV rules, each J-27 destroyed is worth 500 BV to the attacker, or if intact is worth 500 BV to the defender.
RAVENING HORDE
"Ravannion theorized that 'Mech warfare should be carried out by swarms of ultra-light 'Mechs to attack and overwhelm heavier, but numerically inferior defending 'Mechs."
-TRO 3025, Blackjack entry
BRIEFING: Whether by lunacy, luck, or genius, one side has an almost unstoppable mass of lighter 'Mechs to throw against the other.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: Use half the normal number of maps, arranged in a square, of the defender's choice. The game lasts for twenty turns or until the defenders are destroyed.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: None.
ATTACKER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The attacker may not deploy any units over 35 tons, or any infantry/battle armor that is not transported in another unit. At the start of the game, the attacker moves his units on from any board edge. Every five turns, the attacker may recycle any destroyed units, and remove any units he deems too damaged to continue, and move them on as a fresh unit from the table edge.
DEFENDER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The defender counts the number of units deployed by the attacker and chooses a number of units equal to that number to deploy. All of those units gain a +1 bonus to all skills.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: Each of the defender's units is worth one victory point, totalled at the end of the game, with destroyed units going towards the attacker's total, and still-functional (with at least one weapon system and one movement MP) going toward's the defender's. If the attacker has more, he wins; if not, the defender wins.
AMBUSH!
"All's fair, in love and war - pfagh! Nothing's fair in war, and that's the way I like it."
-Lt. Colonel Aserin "Silver" Bulat
BRIEFING: The attacker is about to spring an ambush onto an unsuspecting defender. The defender's goal: Survive. The attacker's: Wipe them out utterly.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: The mapsheets are placed long-end to long-end for a maximum of three mapsheets (the fourth is discarded if playing with four mapsheets). If playing with six mapsheets, place the second row alongside the first. The game lasts for twenty turns or until the defenders are destroyed.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: Roll a d6. On a 1-2, the first five turns take place under darkness conditions. On a 5-6, the last five turns take place under darkness conditions.
ATTACKER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The attacker deploys his entire force according to the Hidden Deployment rules, within 5 hexes of any long map edge or 15 hexes of the short edge opposite the defender's. In addition, he may place two vibromine fields per 1,000 BV of the game anywhere but in the defender's deployment zone. He is under effect of Forced Withdrawal.
DEFENDER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The defender deploys in a zone extending 15 hexes from one short map edge and not closer than 5 hexes to either long map edge. He may not deploy any ground units with an Walk or Cruise MP greater than 5.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: The defender gains normal BV points per attacker unit destroyed or forced to withdraw, but also adds to his total the BV of any of his own units that successfully move off the far table edge.
HEADHUNTING
"While some commanders at regimental level might wish they could command from their 'Mechs, the truth of that scale is that it requires a dedicated HQ post - which can be dangerously vulnerable."
BRIEFING: The attacker has found and prepared an attack on the defender's headquarters. The defender wants to throw back the attack, and the attacker wants to decapitate the defender's HQ before it has a chance to respond.
MAPS & GAME LENGTH: Place the mapsheets in a square, with wilderness maps chosen. The defender places in the middle of the map a building with a CF of 60: this is his HQ building.
OVERALL SPECIAL RULES: Roll a d6. On a 1-3, the first five turns are under the darkness rules.
ATTACKER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The attacker may deploy within 5 (10 on any maps larger than 4 mapsheets) hexes of any map edge, and may only deploy units that have a Walk/Cruise MP of 5 or higher, unless they are transported aboard a unit that qualifies.
DEFENDER DEPLOYMENT & SPECIAL RULES: The defender splits his force into two equal halves, then rolls randomly to see which he places within 10 hexes of the HQ and which are in reserve. In addition, he designates the highest-BV OR highest weight unit as belonging to the regimental commander: this deploys next to the HQ building and may not take any action for the first five turns, but recieves a +1 bonus to both skills.
VICTORY CONDITIONS: If the attacker destroys the HQ and the command unit, he wins. If he does not, the defender wins.
OK. I'm gonna try to do up a .doc version of this soon, but I've got lots of work to do; rent due soon so must pick up the pace!
